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The Register is an all-inclusive space for Etsy Sellers who are also Bloggers to promote their shops and collaborate with others. For readers, we hope you find amazing new Etsy Sellers you didn't know before. The ultimate goal of The Register is to engender creativity and community. If you are an Etsy Seller and Blogger, and would like to participate, just shoot us an email!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Seller Spotlight: Rachel, of MouseVox Vintage

Today, let's have a chat with Rachel, of the Etsy shop MouseVox Vintage and the Blog of the same name. Rachel always finds the cutest vintage goodies that are always right on trend. Q: How and when did your love of vintage start? Can you remember the first piece of vintage you fell in love with?A: My sincere love of vintage started when I was a teenager with an affinity for creating looks for myself that were considerably out of the box. My taste in dressing was largely derivative of the music and culture that I chose to surround myself with and putting together these looks was much easier when pieced together from thrift store finds that anything else -- thus, birthed my discovery and passion for vintage! I honestly can't remember the first piece that I fell in love with, but I can clearly remember the first piece that fascinated me -- my grandmother's mink stole. I was TERRIFIED of it as a child! Later in life, the terror turned to curiosity and I often used this piece as a prop or wardrobe piece for the many plays I would direct starring my younger cousins.Q: How long have you been a vintage seller on Etsy?A: I've been selling on Etsy for about 2 years now, but only consistently for a little over 1 year. Before that, I kept an eBay store, which I unregrettably closed this month. I also do shopping by appointment, which is my favorite. I love actually seeing my customers in my wares. All in all, I've been selling vintage as my full time job for 4 years.

Q: How long have you been a blogger? Has it changed the way you get ready in the morning?A: I've been blogging for almost 2 years now, but only in the past 6 months have I felt like it's started to become an important part of my day. I don't think it's really changed how I get ready in the morning, though. I can say that having my morning coffee while catching up on my favorite blogs is one of my favorite ways to start the day, though.

Q: If you had the choice, in which decade would you like to have been a teenager?A: This is a difficult question. There are many decades in which I wish I could have been alive for purely aesthetic reasons, but factually speaking, I am a woman and I honestly would not have wanted to deal with many of the struggles that females had to deal with in decades past. I'm going to go with the 1960's on this one, as it was such a pivotal time politically as far as women's rights are concerned. The 60's were a time of great change characterized by ethnic consciousness, civil rights and female liberalism. I think it would have been incredibly exciting to have been a part of this movement. You can bet I would have been at the forefront of any demonstration necessary to encourage these changes!

Q: What is your all time favorite vintage find?A: This is a tough call to make, as I have so many pieces that are truly special to me. My most coveted vintage possession is a platinum & sapphire ring that my grandfather gave to my grandmother – it’s locked away in a safety deposit box though, so it doesn't get a lot of wear. Another piece in my collection that is quite special is a very rare Emilio Pucci for Formfit Rogers negligee that I found on a thrifting trip for $2. While I don’t often wear either of these pieces, I truly treasure them and each one reminds me of why I love vintage – the excitement of finding that needle in a haystack kind of gem at a thrift store, the emotional value of an heirloom and the history behind each piece.

Q: What song/artist can you never get sick of?A: Another hard question! I listen to everything from freak folk to black metal to hip hop, depending on my mood. I can say that Otis Redding has written a song for every mood I've ever faced and his songs, whether they be sad or happy, always make me feel nice inside. Plus, they're fun to dance to.

Q: Your favorite fashionable film?A: Recently, I've been fascinated with Czech New Wave cinema and came across Vera Chytilová's 1966 film, Sedmikrásky. It's quite surreal and, in my opinion, touches upon the inherently hedonistic nature of human existence in a very playful and visually stunning way. Here's a link to a video with excerpts from it, as you should really see for yourself:

Q: What keeps you busy, aside from blogging and running an Etsy store?A: I love to create with my hands, particularly with textile, so I do as much sewing as I possibly can in my free time. I'm a bibliophile tride and true and often have my nose stuck in a book when I have the time to relax. I'm also an avid yoga practitioner and started kickboxing classes a few weeks ago, too. Lately, I've been traveling quite a bit, which I always enjoy.

Q: Any tips for Etsy shop owners?A: The most important advice I can give is to try to always stay positive. Keeping an online shop is a lot of hard work and isn't always easy. You will come across speed bumbs, sometimes you'll have to deal with cranky people and if you want it to be a full time job, then you'll have to expect to work more than you would at a basic 9-5 gig. Remember, you're doing something that you're passionate about, so you should only put out positive intentions when going forward with it.

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